Mike Castle and Tom Davis

ByDavid T. CookJune 16, 2004

US Reps. Mike Castle of Delaware and Tom Davis of Virginia, leaders of the Republican Main Street Partnership, an organization devoted to promoting so-called centrist views and candidates, were Tuesday's guests. Here are excerpts from their remarks:

On the Club for Growth, a group further to the right of the Partnership:

(Davis) "They ought to have sued their [political] consultant for malpractice. They have never defeated a moderate Republican."

(Castle) "As we have picked up more victories, the fear and concern about the Club for Growth [within the party] has diminished."

On prospects for legislation that would liberalize stem-cell research, which the Partnership favors:

(Castle) "I think you are going to see a lot of discussion and, perhaps, some limited movement in the course of this year. And then everyone is going to take a good look around after the election [when] there is a real chance there might be some fundamental change."